


Overheard

by astudyinfic



Series: A December of Ty and Zane [12]
Category: Cut & Run - Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux
Genre: Boys In Love, Eavesdropping, M/M, unspoken homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-09-17 02:01:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16965612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astudyinfic/pseuds/astudyinfic
Summary: They didn't know she was there.She didn't understand before.  Maybe now she was starting to get it.Day 12:Shadows





	Overheard

“Shh.  You don’t want to wake everyone, do you?”  The whisper carried through the otherwise silent home and Beverly froze, wondering what exactly was going on.  The rest of the house had already retired for the night and she was on her way to bed from the study when she heard it.

It appeared she wasn’t the only one still awake, after all.

“Who’s going to hear us, darlin’?  They’re all asleep inside on the other side of the house.  I know you can be quiet when you want to be.”

Though certain she didn’t want to see what her son and that _other_ man were up to, Beverly still made her way toward the porch, staying in the shadows so they wouldn’t see her. If they were doing what she suspected, she would be turning around instantly anyway.

And then she and her son would be having a talk about propriety in the morning.

It turned out that wasn’t an issue, she realized as she saw the two men leaning against the railing, staring out at the sleeping ranch. Close enough that their shoulders bumped as they spoke, she could only barely overhear the conversation. If she hadn’t already been up, she would never have realized they were out here.

“I do miss this place sometimes,” Zane said, not taking his eyes from the view in front of them.  “I love Baltimore and our life there but there’s something about the ranch that will always be home.”  Hope bloomed in Beverly’s heart that she might be able to use that to get him to come home, goad him into doing his duty to the family and taking over the ranch like he was supposed to.  

Ty chuckled, glancing over at Zane before looking back to the view.  “We could move to Texas if that’s what you want. Retire from the FBI and start a new life here?”  Beverly frowned at that. She wanted Zane to come home but the other man who’d integrated himself into her son’s life should stay as far away from here as possible.

As if reading her thoughts, Ty shook his head, bumping his shoulder against Zane’s.  “Not sure I’d be welcome here, but for you, I’d do it.” Even in the dim light, she could see Zane smile as he reached over and took Ty’s hand in his.  The fact that they were so casual about something so unnatural made her blood boil. What if someone else saw them? They would be the talk of the town for weeks!

“I’d never ask that of you, doll.  You know that. And you and I would both be so bored here.  This was my life once upon a time, and it’s where my family is, but it isn’t home.  Not anymore.” It was his home, though! It would always be his home and it was where he belonged.  

Zane turned to look at Ty and Ty cupped Zane’s cheek in an intimate gesture Beverly didn’t think she should be witnessing.  Not only because it involved her son and another man, but because it was a moment shared between a couple, not for anyone else.  “This would be home if we were here together. You’re my home now, Lone Star. Don’t matter where we are or who we’re with.”

While she couldn’t see her son’s face, his shoulders hunched forward as though he was holding the weight of the world on them.  “Do you think she’ll ever come around? Or am I just butting my head against a wall here?” Beverly frowned, leaning a little closer.  She knew they were talking about her and she wondered what the man would say. Would he try and poison Zane against her? She wouldn’t be surprised.

“I don’t know,” Ty answered a moment later.  “I want to say yes. Owen did. Took him a while but you know he would punch first, ask questions later if anyone said anything about us.  If someone as stubborn as Ozone is can learn, then anyone can.” She didn’t know who Owen was but Zane smiled so it must have meant something to him.  

Ty glanced in her direction as if he could see her, even though she was completely hidden in the shadows.  He stared for a moment before looking back to Zane. “She’s your mother, Zane. If she wants to have her son in her life, she will need to accept your choices.  The good ones like going into the FBI. And the bad ones, like me.”

“Ty, you are the best decision I ever made.  Don’t ever doubt that.” Zane tugged him closer, kissing him gently in the dim light of the moon.  “I love you, Beaumont. Nothing will ever change that.”

Watching Ty stare at her son with an intensity of love she could see even from her hiding place, Beverly wondered if she might have been wrong about him.  Maybe he really did love Zane. She didn’t understand it, still thought it was wrong, but she could see it was important to them. “I love you too, Zane.”

They kissed once more, losing themselves for several minutes in the embrace.  Beverly started to back away, wanting to give them privacy, both for their sake and because it wasn’t something she wanted to see of her son.  He might be happier - in his opinion - but she didn’t have to like it. She was almost out of the room when her son’s voice reached her ears.

“I love my mother.  I love all my family. But you’re my family too, and if anyone has a problem with that, then they can see their way out of my life.” He continued softly, “I want to marry you someday.  Sooner rather than later. I want to call you my husband.  I want to wear your ring. I want to be yours, forever.”

“You already are, aren’t you?”  Beverly covered her mouth, watching the two men.  She needed to leave. She needed to get away from there before they found her eavesdropping.  But Ty’s simple question took her breath away.

Zane kissed him once more.  “And you are mine.”

She froze when Ty looked in her direction again and she got the feeling he knew she was there.  He turned to Zane and smiled, warm and fond. “If anyone has a problem with this, it is just that.  Their problem. Now, Hoss, let’s go to bed.”

“Go to bed or go to sleep?” Zane asked, slipping an arm around Ty’s waist and nuzzling against his ear in a way that seemed far too intimate for a public setting, even if they didn’t know they had an audience.

They moved to go down the porch, towards Zane’s old bedroom and away from where Beverly hid.  The last thing she heard was Zane’s echoing laughter as Ty replied, “You’re choice darlin’, but I certainly have my preference.”

Beverly stayed in the shadows for a few more moments, mulling over what she just heard.  Her son having a boyfriend - maybe even a husband? - would not go over well with the crowds she socialized with.  But she couldn’t remember the last time she heard Zane laugh and if Ty could bring that out in him, could make him that happy, then maybe it wasn’t as bad as she thought.

She hurried off to the bed she shared with her husband and briefly wondered what it would be like to be as in love as Ty and Zane seemed to be.  Her life was enough for her. But for her kids, she wanted more.

And maybe Ty Grady was the one who could give that life to Zane.

**Author's Note:**

> Come yell at me on [tumblr](http://astudyinfic.tumblr.com), [pillowfort](https://www.pillowfort.io/astudyinfic) or [twitter](http://twitter.com/astudyinfic)
> 
> Also, we made a [Cut & Run discord channel](https://discord.gg/KFfErkb) if anyone is interested in joining and yelling at us about the books we all love.


End file.
